By Billy House
Media General News Service
Media General News Service
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WASHINGTON -- Nearly two dozen retired Air Force officers are lashing out at The Boeing Co. and its “special-interest clients” for what they describe as “scurrilous” attacks on the Air Force for awarding a $35 billion contract for new refueling tankers to another bidder.
In a letter to Defense Secretary Robert Gates, made public Tuesday, the 22 retired officers urged Gates to not let Boeing’s attacks cause delays in replacing the tanker fleet.
“Delays in the tanker program will only serve to put the lives of crews flying the aging systems in greater jeopardy,” their letter warns.
Northrop Grumman and the maker of Airbus planes beat out the Seattle-based Boeing to win the contract to build military refueling planes, the Air Force said last month.
Boeing has since asked the Governmental Accountability Office to review the selection process.
Meanwhile, critics in Congress have seized on the Boeing-Northrop Grumman clash to push a “Buy American” agenda, complaining the contract benefits Northrop’s French partner, the European Aeronautics Defense and Space Co.
Northrop responds that 60 percent of the tanker will be American made, through Northrop’s U.S. suppliers in Florida and 48 other states.
For instance, the new tanker, which may replace some of the 16 aging KC-135 tankers now flown out of MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa, could mean $500 million a year for Florida companies, including four subcontractors in the Tampa Bay area. In all, it could create up to 2,000 new jobs in Florida.
The letter by the retired Air Force officers to Gates is part of broader public relations response to criticism of the tanker award and efforts to have it overturned. The letter is dated Monday, but was reproduced in a full-page ad appearing Tuesday in The Washington Post.
Boeing, in its protest to the GAO seeking a review of the contract selection, has alleged the competition with Northrop Grumman was “seriously flawed.”
"We have fundamental concerns with the Air Force's evaluation, and we are exercising our right under the process for a GAO review of the decision to ensure that the process by which America's next refueling tanker is selected is fair and results in the best choice for the U.S. warfighters and taxpayers,” said Mark McGraw, vice president and program manager, Boeing Tanker Programs, in a statement last month.
Some in Congress, including as GOP Sen. Mel Martinez of Florida, don't think their congressional colleagues should be criticizing the contract process now, said the senators spokesman, Ken Lundberg.
“They (critics in Congress) knew going in who it was competing against, and it was an open process,” said Lundberg. “Now they want to challenge it after the fact.”
But , including Rep. Duncan Hunter of California, the ranking Republican on the House Armed Services Committee, are weighing legislative strategies to overturn the deal.
“American companies that helped build our nation's defenses, particularly over the last several decades, did so through years of experience and the talent of thousands of valuable engineers and technicians,” said Hunter in a statement released Friday. “But each time we outsource our most critical defense needs and award contracts to foreign suppliers, we lose this expertise, and, once lost, it is extremely difficult to regain.”
“The tanker contract award is just the latest case in what is becoming a standard practice in America today. As this decision is reviewed by the Government Accountability Office, I am carefully considering several courses of legislative action, in preparation for the approaching budget process, to ensure the next American tanker is built in the United States by American workers,” Hunter said.
And CNN commentator Lou Dobbs also has chimed in as a vocal critic, calling the contract award to Northrop Grumman “idiotic.”
But according to the retired Air Force officer’s letter to Gates, “the backbone of the current tanker fleet – the KC-135s – average 47 years of age and must be replaced as expeditiously as possible.”
“We, the undersigned, have devoted years of service and sacrifice to this great nation and the United States Air Force. Accordingly, we are very troubled by the vitriolic attack on the Air Force by those who disagree with the outcome of the KC-45 Tanker Competition,” their letter states.
The letter goes on to say that the Air Force is prevented from using U.S. industrial base issues, U.S. employment issues and U.S. component-content issues in making decisions about a weapons system.
“By law and by directive, they must consider which system gives best value to our war fighters,” the letter states.
But despite those facts, the letter says the Air Force is being attacked by Boeing and its special-interest clients by:
-- “Impugning the integrity of our Air Force in the conduct of the KC-45 source selection.”
-- “Claiming our Air Force abandoned the interests of America and the American people during the selection process.”
-- “Questioning the patriotism of the men and women of the Air Force.”
-- “Claiming there is a problem with manufacturing by not-to-be-trusted foreign nationals, when all military modifications made to the aircraft will be done by Northrop Grumman under the strict standards of the Air Force – a fact Boeing supporters fully understand.”
“The Air Force team rightly focused on delivering the most capability to the war fighter – and their integrity, honor and truthfulness should not be denigrated without factual information to the contrary, by those serving other interests,” the letter states.
The 22 retired officers conclude the letter by urging Gates “to continue to stand up and help defend [the Air Force] from scurrilous and politically motivated attacks.”
Reporter Billy House can be reached at bhouse@mediageneral.com or at 1 (202) 662-7673.
In a letter to Defense Secretary Robert Gates, made public Tuesday, the 22 retired officers urged Gates to not let Boeing’s attacks cause delays in replacing the tanker fleet.
“Delays in the tanker program will only serve to put the lives of crews flying the aging systems in greater jeopardy,” their letter warns.
Northrop Grumman and the maker of Airbus planes beat out the Seattle-based Boeing to win the contract to build military refueling planes, the Air Force said last month.
Boeing has since asked the Governmental Accountability Office to review the selection process.
Meanwhile, critics in Congress have seized on the Boeing-Northrop Grumman clash to push a “Buy American” agenda, complaining the contract benefits Northrop’s French partner, the European Aeronautics Defense and Space Co.
Northrop responds that 60 percent of the tanker will be American made, through Northrop’s U.S. suppliers in Florida and 48 other states.
For instance, the new tanker, which may replace some of the 16 aging KC-135 tankers now flown out of MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa, could mean $500 million a year for Florida companies, including four subcontractors in the Tampa Bay area. In all, it could create up to 2,000 new jobs in Florida.
The letter by the retired Air Force officers to Gates is part of broader public relations response to criticism of the tanker award and efforts to have it overturned. The letter is dated Monday, but was reproduced in a full-page ad appearing Tuesday in The Washington Post.
Boeing, in its protest to the GAO seeking a review of the contract selection, has alleged the competition with Northrop Grumman was “seriously flawed.”
"We have fundamental concerns with the Air Force's evaluation, and we are exercising our right under the process for a GAO review of the decision to ensure that the process by which America's next refueling tanker is selected is fair and results in the best choice for the U.S. warfighters and taxpayers,” said Mark McGraw, vice president and program manager, Boeing Tanker Programs, in a statement last month.
Some in Congress, including as GOP Sen. Mel Martinez of Florida, don't think their congressional colleagues should be criticizing the contract process now, said the senators spokesman, Ken Lundberg.
“They (critics in Congress) knew going in who it was competing against, and it was an open process,” said Lundberg. “Now they want to challenge it after the fact.”
But , including Rep. Duncan Hunter of California, the ranking Republican on the House Armed Services Committee, are weighing legislative strategies to overturn the deal.
“American companies that helped build our nation's defenses, particularly over the last several decades, did so through years of experience and the talent of thousands of valuable engineers and technicians,” said Hunter in a statement released Friday. “But each time we outsource our most critical defense needs and award contracts to foreign suppliers, we lose this expertise, and, once lost, it is extremely difficult to regain.”
“The tanker contract award is just the latest case in what is becoming a standard practice in America today. As this decision is reviewed by the Government Accountability Office, I am carefully considering several courses of legislative action, in preparation for the approaching budget process, to ensure the next American tanker is built in the United States by American workers,” Hunter said.
And CNN commentator Lou Dobbs also has chimed in as a vocal critic, calling the contract award to Northrop Grumman “idiotic.”
But according to the retired Air Force officer’s letter to Gates, “the backbone of the current tanker fleet – the KC-135s – average 47 years of age and must be replaced as expeditiously as possible.”
“We, the undersigned, have devoted years of service and sacrifice to this great nation and the United States Air Force. Accordingly, we are very troubled by the vitriolic attack on the Air Force by those who disagree with the outcome of the KC-45 Tanker Competition,” their letter states.
The letter goes on to say that the Air Force is prevented from using U.S. industrial base issues, U.S. employment issues and U.S. component-content issues in making decisions about a weapons system.
“By law and by directive, they must consider which system gives best value to our war fighters,” the letter states.
But despite those facts, the letter says the Air Force is being attacked by Boeing and its special-interest clients by:
-- “Impugning the integrity of our Air Force in the conduct of the KC-45 source selection.”
-- “Claiming our Air Force abandoned the interests of America and the American people during the selection process.”
-- “Questioning the patriotism of the men and women of the Air Force.”
-- “Claiming there is a problem with manufacturing by not-to-be-trusted foreign nationals, when all military modifications made to the aircraft will be done by Northrop Grumman under the strict standards of the Air Force – a fact Boeing supporters fully understand.”
“The Air Force team rightly focused on delivering the most capability to the war fighter – and their integrity, honor and truthfulness should not be denigrated without factual information to the contrary, by those serving other interests,” the letter states.
The 22 retired officers conclude the letter by urging Gates “to continue to stand up and help defend [the Air Force] from scurrilous and politically motivated attacks.”
Reporter Billy House can be reached at bhouse@mediageneral.com or at 1 (202) 662-7673.